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I left Houston a year and a half ago to move to Boston. I'm a native TXN and, surprisingly, I loved Houston! Lived there for 8 years. So, here's the deal. Houston, like Dallas, is the Bible Belt, honey...which is great if you are into that kind of thing. So, generally speaking, the suburbs are filled with awesome church-going families looking for an oasis of great schools and Christian youth groups....not what you're looking for. Try finding a place in the Montrose/Southampton area...very artsy, liberal, freewheeling, and cool. Just stay downtown if you're looking for that Bluestate vibe.

I left Houston a year and a half ago to move to Boston. I'm a native TXN and, surprisingly, I loved Houston! Lived there for 8 years. So, here's the deal. Houston, like Dallas, is the Bible Belt, honey...which is great if you are into that kind of thing. So, generally speaking, the suburbs are filled with awesome church-going families looking for an oasis of great schools and Christian youth groups....not what you're looking for. Try finding a place in the Montrose/Southampton area...very artsy, liberal, freewheeling, and cool. Just stay downtown if you're looking for that Bluestate vibe.

''Church going Christians'' does not necessarily mean Bible Belt. Lakewood Church + churches on every corner in the suburbs does not imply we're in the Bible Belt either. "Bible Belt" exclusively means Southern Baptist as you would find from North Texas through Georgia. You're more likely to be hassled with "Are you saved?" and/or "I'll pray for you" type of people in the Bible Belt. Dealing with that type of passive-aggression is somewhat rare down here, if unheard of for many.

As far as Houston goes, I read a source that put Southern Baptists at a #4 ranking in this area behind Catholics, Lutherans and non-denominational Christians. As far as definitions go we're not smack in the middle of the Bible Belt, but we do have one foot in and one foot out so to speak. And no doubt people here are pretty big on church.

I sure wish people would stop saying that on a relocation board. People move all the time to find environments more to their liking. All types of external factors influence quality of life and person/environment fit. Things like weather, scenery, political and cultural and religious climate, cost of living, job market, proximity to friends and family, etc.

A person can be completely unhappy in one place and then very happy in a different place, sometimes for very random reasons. My good friend moved from Massachusetts (which she hated) to Texas (which she loves). She moved into an apartment building with a palm tree in the front yard and she says that every time she comes home, she still feels a pang of joy because she loves what the palm tree symbolizes.

Relocation boards exist to ask questions about different cities because people want to find the place that fits them. Maybe UrbaneAspects would be miserable in Houston, maybe not. Houston sounds better for him than Dallas would be...Austin might be better yet. But I doubt he will become happy in Dallas by going all Zen and meditating his way to peace. It just sounds like a bad fit for him there, although I suspect a lot of his misery has to do with living in Arlington rather than the areas that the Dallas residents suggested he explore instead.

Well said. I really don't think he'll like Houston as it's really spread out as well. Also, Houston would be very similar climate-wise to Miami, something he wanted to escape. I would suggest San Diego, CA.

I'm just curious if the poster is defining any Christian as "religion freaks" or just those people that are rather extremist in their views. Because if one can't tolerate living around Christians in general, you'll spend the rest of your life running from place to place because Christians are pretty much all over.

You can find what you are looking for in any of the cities you mention! If you look for it you will find it!If you look for prejudice and hate you will find it! Look for positive things and you will find them!!Good Luck!!!

I've lived in Austin and Houston. I love Houston, my fiance loves Austin, and I won out for now. Neither of us would ever consider moving to Dallas. Everyone is right that DFW is pretentious.

On the other hand, Texas beaches are gross. Houston people CAN be close minded. The difference between Dallas and Houston is Houston is so diverse that, as long as you stay out of the burbs, you're fine.

Austin might actually be a better option if you are more liberal. It's hands down the prettiest city in Texas. I left beause it suffered from "close minded liberality." If you try to be anything other than "weird," you will get as much slack from them as you will being Hindu in Dallas. Just my 2 cents.

Have you been to a Texas beach lately? I just went to Port Aransas and it was GREAT. My children are asking daily when we can go back.

I think Texas beaches might have improved significantly in recent years. They are cleaner and nicer than what old timers are telling me they were like in the past.

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